Is it too early to begin the Tadej Pogačar-Eddy Merckx comparisons? At this point, probably not.
At just 23 years old, Pogačar already has two Tour de France general classification titles to his name. He is the youngest cyclist to have won consecutive Tours. And Merckx himself is calling the Slovenian star “campionissimo”, the champion of champions.
“It’s becoming difficult to find the words to describe what this young guy does. It’s spectacular and formidable. Pogačar is a campionissimo,” Merckx told Gazzetta dello Sport. “Considering he’s just 23, it’s incredible what he’s able to do. There’s a tendency to start winning at a younger age these days but what he’s doing is unique.”
Should Pogačar win again in the 2022 general classification, he would become only the sixth cyclist to win the race three years in a row.
MORE: Watch the Tour de France live with fuboTV (free trial)
Below is everything you need to know about the 2022 Tour de France, including schedule, stage breakdown and how to watch the race.
Tour de France TV channel, how to live stream
- TV channel: USA Network | NBC
- Live stream: NBCSports | Peacock | fuboTV
NBC Sports will have exclusive streaming rights to the 2022 Tour de France in the U.S. Most days, NBC’s streaming service Peacock will begin with exclusive coverage of the race before it shifts over to USA Network, but on the final stage, NBC will carry the end of the race starting at 2 p.m. ET as cyclists begin to arrive at the Champs-Elysees.
Those hoping to stream the race can find it on Peacock or on fuboTV, which offers a free trial.
MORE: U.S. riders in Tour de France 2022: Sepp Kuss, Brandon McNulty, Quinn Simmons and more
Tour de France 2022 schedule
The 2022 Tour de France will begin in Copenhagen, Denmark, for an individual time trial with two more days of flat racing in Denmark before the race transfers over to France. Then, on July 5, cyclists will depart from Dunkerque. There are two rest days and 21 total days of biking.
| Stage | Date | Length | Location | Coverage (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | July 13 | 152 km (94.4 miles) | Albertville to Col du Granon Serre Chevalier (mountain) | 6:30 a.m. | USA (8 a.m.) |
| 12 | July 14 | 165.5 km (102.8 miles) | Briancon to Alpe D’Huez (mountain) | 7 a.m. | Peacock only |
| 13 | July 15 | 193 km (119.9 miles) | Le Bourg D’Oisanas to Saint-Etienne (flat) | 7 a.m. | Peacock only |
| 14 | July 16 | 192.5 km (119.6 miles) | Saint-Etienne to Mende (hilly) | 6:10 a.m. | USA (8 a.m.) |
| 15 | July 17 | 202.5 km (125.8 miles) | Rodez to Carcassonne (flat) | 7 a.m. | USA (8 a.m.) |
| Rest day | July 18 | — | Carcassonne | NA | USA (8 a.m.) |
| 16 | July 19 | 178.5 km (110.9 miles) | Carcassonne to Foix (hilly) | 6:30 a.m. | USA (8 a.m.) |
| 17 | July 20 | 130 km (80.8 miles) | Saint-Gaudens to Peyragudes (mountain) | 7:10 a.m. | USA (8 a.m.) |
| 18 | July 21 | 143.5 km (89.2 miles) | Lourdes to Hautacam (mountain) | 7:30 a.m. | USA (8 a.m.) |
| 19 | July 22 | 188.5 km (117.1 miles) | Castelnau-Magnoac to Cahors (flat) | 7:10 a.m. | USA (8 a.m.) |
| 20 | July 23 | 40.7 km (25.3 miles) | Lacapelle-Marival to Rocamadour (individual time-trial) | 7 a.m. | NBC (8 a.m.) |
| 21 | July 24 | 116 km (72.1 miles) | Paris La Defense Arena to Paris Champs-Elysees | 10:30 a.m. | USA (10:30 a.m.)/NBC (2 p.m.) |
Tour de France route map
What are the Tour de France stages?
| Stage | Date | Length | Location | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 1 | 13.2 km (8.2 miles) | Copenhagen to Copenhagen (individual time trial) | Yves Lampaert |
| 2 | July 2 | 202.5 km (125.8 miles) | Roskilde to Nyborg (flat) | Fabio Jakobsen |
| 3 | July 3 | 182 km (113.1 miles) | Vejle to Sonderborg (flat) | Dylan Groenewegen |
| Transfer | July 4 | — | — | — |
| 4 | July 5 | 171.5 km (106.6 miles) | Dunkerque to Calais (hilly) | Wout van Aert |
| 5 | July 6 | 157 km (97.6 miles) | Lille Metropole to Arenberge Porte du Hainaut (hilly) | Simon Clarke |
| 6 | July 7 | 220 km (136.7 miles) | Binche to Longwy (hilly) | Tadej Pogacar |
| 7 | July 8 | 176.5 km (109.7 miles) | Tomblaine to La Super Planche des Belles Filles (mountain) | Tadej Pogacar |
| 8 | July 9 | 186.5 km (115.9 miles) | Dole to Lausanne (hilly) | Wout van Aert |
| 9 | July 10 | 193 km (119.9 miles) | Aigle to Chatel Les Portes du Soleil (mountain) | Bob Jungels |
| Rest day | July 11 | — | — | — |
| 10 | July 12 | 148.5 km (92.3 miles) | Morzine Les Portes du Soleil to Megeve (hilly) | Magnus Cort Nielsen |
| 11 | July 13 | 152 km (94.4 miles) | Albertville to Col du Granon Serre Chevalier (mountain) | — |
| 12 | July 14 | 165.5 km (102.8 miles) | Briancon to Alpe D’Huez (mountain) | — |
| 13 | July 15 | 193 km (119.9 miles) | Le Bourg D’Oisanas to Saint-Etienne (flat) | — |
| 14 | July 16 | 192.5 km (119.6 miles) | Saint-Etienne to Mende (hilly) | — |
| 15 | July 17 | 202.5 km (125.8 miles) | Rodez to Carcassonne (flat) | — |
| Rest day | July 18 | — | — | — |
| 16 | July 19 | 178.5 km (110.9 miles) | Carcassonne to Foix (hilly) | — |
| 17 | July 20 | 130 km (80.8 miles) | Saint-Gaudens to Peyragudes (mountain) | — |
| 18 | July 21 | 143.5 km (89.2 miles) | Lourdes to Hautacam (mountain) | — |
| 19 | July 22 | 188.5 km (117.1 miles) | Castelnau-Magnoac to Cahors (flat) | — |
| 20 | July 23 | 40.7 km (25.3 miles) | Lacapelle-Marival to Rocamadour (individual time trial) | — |
| 21 | July 24 | 116 km (72.1 miles) | Paris La Defense Arena to Paris Champs-Elysees | — |
How many miles is the Tour de France?
The 2022 Tour de France will run a total of 3,349.8 kilometers, or 2,081.47 miles. Last year’s race was slightly longer at 3,414.4 kilometers, or 2,163.7 miles. There will be seven hilly stages, six flat stages, six mountain stages and two individual time trials. Of the six mountain stages, there will be five summit finishes.
Tour de France teams 2022
There are 22 teams in the 2022 Tour de France, with eight riders per team for a total of 176 cyclists in the field. Last year, Bahrain Victorious won the team classification, snapping a run of three straight victories by Movistar Team.
| Team | Country |
|---|---|
| AG2R Citroën Team | France |
| Astana Qazaqstan Team | Kazakhstan |
| Bahrain Victorious | Bahrain |
| Bora-Hansgrohe | Germany |
| Cofidis | France |
| Ef Educations – Easypost | United States |
| Groupama – FDJ | France |
| Ineos Grenadiers | Great Britain |
| Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux | Belgium |
| Israel-Premier Tech | Israel |
| Jumbo-Visma | Netherlands |
| Lotto Soudal | Belgium |
| Movistar Team | Spain |
| Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team | Belgium |
| Team BikeExchange Jayco | Australia |
| Team DSM | Germany |
| Trek – Segafredo | United States |
| UAE Team Emirates | United Arab Emirates |
| Alpecin-Fenix | Belgium |
| Team Arkea-Samsic | France |
| B&B Hotels-KTM | France |
| Totalenergies | France |
Tour de France past winners
Tadej Pogačar is looking for his third straight win in the Tour de France, which would make him the sixth cyclist to win the event in at least three consecutive years. The others are Louison Bobet (1953-55), Jacques Anquetil (1961-64), Eddy Merckx (1969-72), Miguel Induráin (1991-95) and Chris Froome (2015-17).
Lance Armstrong won seven straight races from 1999 to 2005, but his victories have been vacated due to doping.
| Year | Winner | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Tadej Pogačar | Slovenia |
| 2020 | Tadej Pogačar | Slovenia |
| 2019 | Egan Bernal | Colombia |
| 2018 | Geraint Thomas | Wales |
| 2017 | Chris Froome | England |
| 2016 | Chris Froome | England |
| 2015 | Chris Froome | England |
| 2014 | Vincenzo Nibali | Italy |
| 2013 | Chris Froome | England |
| 2012 | Bradley Wiggins | England |
| 2011 | Cadel Evans | Australia |
| 2010 | Andy Schleck* | Luxembourg |
| 2009 | Alberto Contador | Spain |
| 2008 | Carlos Sastre | Spain |
| 2007 | Alberto Contador | Spain |
| 2006 | Oscar Pereiro** | Spain |
| 2005 | Lance Armstrong*** | USA |
| 2004 | Lance Armstrong*** | USA |
| 2003 | Lance Armstrong*** | USA |
| 2002 | Lance Armstrong*** | USA |
| 2001 | Lance Armstrong*** | USA |
| 2000 | Lance Armstrong*** | USA |
| 1999 | Lance Armstrong*** | USA |
| 1998 | Marco Pantani | Italy |
*Alberto Contador won the race, but failed a drug test later
**Floyd Landis won the race, but failed a drug test later
***Lance Armstrong has had all his titles vacated due to doping. No winner was named in his place.
